The Ready Welder II is designed to be a lightweight, portable MIG welder that can run on direct DC power from two car batteries.

Ingenuity and creativity are arguably the cornerstones of off-roading, and this is especially true when you're broken down on a ride and have to figure out how to get back to camp. For these situations and more, the lightweight and very portable Ready Welder II can be very valuable for welding jobs in remote locations.

The Ready Welder II is an on-the-go MIG welder that welds steel, stainless, aluminum and more. For most applications, the unit is designed for attachment to two 12-volt car batteries. Case and all, the standard Ready Welder II tips the scales at about 17 pounds. Included in the foam-molded case is the MIG gun, 10-foot power leads, one spool of flux-core wire, a 300-amp ground clamp, two battery clamps, extra tips and gas hose fitting and 10 extra feet of gas hose. In instances where you don't have your heavy welding equipment on the ride with you, this MIG welder can help you get out of a serious bind–and it packs a serious punch.

TOUGH ENOUGH?

Compared to conventional welding equipment, the Ready Welder II is unique because it is easily portable via its carrying case, and it weighs in at only 17 pounds. So if you plan to stash it in your ride, there is little concern that it will weigh you down.

At first, it was a little hard to believe that the Ready Welder II, with its plastic gun and all, could tackle serious welding tasks. But after speaking with Keith Hook, VP of sales and business development for WeldStone and master distributor for Ready Welder Corp., apparently the product has been put through its paces long before we got our hands on one.

"Every military service Humvee vehicle gets one of these on board, every single one–Afghanistan, Iraq, domestically," Hook said. "Anytime you see a service Humvee or a tank-service vehicle, there's a Ready Welder II on board."

The first Ready Welder was introduced about 12 years ago, though its abilities were pretty limited. "It was originally designed for minimal hobbiest use, almost like a disposable welder," Hook said.

The president and founder of Ready Welder Corp. came up with the idea for the product after serving in the military decades ago, and he pursued the military as a purchaser of the original Ready Welder back when the first unit was introduced. After years of field testing, the military came back and said it was a good product but wasn't tough enough for the constant abuse they were giving it.